Funding

The FMMP is funded through the state's Soil Conservation Fund. This fund receives revenues from Land Conservation Act (Williamson Act) contract cancellation fees. Statutes specify partial use of these cancellation fees to fund the FMMP.

Pertinent Legislation and Statutory Authority

Government Code Section 51283(d)

Provides for deposition of moneys into the Soil Conservation Fund, and when appropriated, for "total cost of the farmland mapping and monitoring program of the Department of Conservation..." and for other specified purposes.

Government Code Section 65570(b)

Requires the Department of Conservation to collect or acquire information on the amount of land converted to or from agricultural use for every mapped county and to report this information to the Legislature. This report is due biennially (every two years) on or before June 30 of every even-numbered year.

Requires the Department of Conservation to update and send counties copies of current farmland maps by August 1 of each even-numbered year. Counties have the option to review the maps and notify the Department of any changes in agricultural land and request correction of any discrepancies or errors in the classification of agricultural lands on the maps.

Provides that the Department of Conservation may acquire supplemental information from new soil surveys and establish comparable baseline data for counties not included in the original 1984 mapping. The Department is required to report on this data.

Provides that the Department of Conservation may prepare Interim Farmland maps for areas of the state without modern soil surveys. These maps will be used to supplement the Important Farmland Series maps which are based on soil quality information derived from modern soil surveys.

Public Resources Code Section 612

Requires the Department to prepare, update, and maintain Important Farmland Series Maps and other soils and land capability information.

Requires the Department to prepare and maintain an automated map and data base system (GIS) to record and report changes in the use of agricultural lands.